Foot-treatment appliance



Aug. 17', 1926, www@ Y A. E. BLOCK FO OT TREATMENT APPLANCE f Filed July5. 1923 Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER E. BLOCK, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOOT-TREATMENT APPLIANCE.

Application filed July 5,

My invention relates to an improved foottreatinent appliance, and hasfor its object to provide a series of insert-receiving pockn ets for thetreatment of the anterior metatarsal arch, and other insert-receivingmembers for the treatment of one or more of the longitudinal arches, alldetachably mounted upon and carried by a eincture devised to encirclethe wearers foot at or near the instep; the eincture itself beingpreferably cut away to accommodate the large joint of the great toe, andbeing adjustable forwardly and rearwardly upon the foot.

The several elements involved in the appliance are intended for use inthe treatment of a wide range of abnormalities of the human foot, andtheir adjustment is to be accomplished upon the foot itself prior to theinsertion of the foot within a boot, shoe or sandal.

Drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view, of an appliance embodyingmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View of the same taken on the line 2-2of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,the foot bearing the appliance being seated in ashoe.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same, taken on the li'ne4:-4 of Fig. 1, and indicating the foot carrying the appliance, in itsrelation to the shoe-sole.

Descrip tion.

The eincture 5 is cut away at 6 to accommodate the large joint commonlyknown as the bunion joint, and carries, secured by lines of stitching 7a series of overlapping and superimposed pockets 8, adapted to receiveinserts 9 for the treatment of the an tericr metatarsal arch of thefoot, the pockets 8 being mounted in an arcuate line, as shown in Fig.1, and being secured to each other by lines of stitching 10, orequivalent means.

Extending rearwardly from the eincture 5 is thelongitudinal-archtreatment member A comprising a series of superimposed and overlappingpockets 11 adapted to receive 1923. Serial No. 649,630.

one or more inserts 12, the highest points of the several pockets beingat various positions with reference to the length of the wearers Y foot.

The memberA is secured to the eincture 5 by lines of stitching 13 orequivalent securing means, and the pockets 11 are formed by mounting theflaps upon each other by lines of stitching'l or like readily-frangiblesecuring means.

Mode 07 operation.

K are then placed in .position in the proper pocket orpoclets and thefoot is inserted in the wearers boot, shoe or sandal without disturbanceof the adjustment of the appliance or the shifting of its position uponthe wearers foot.

IheV arcuate alinement of the pockets 8 approximately corresponds to the*arrangement of the heads of the metatarsal bones in the wearers foot.The eincture 5 is flexible, permitting the full effect of the inserts 9to be imparted to the sole of the foot at the desired location, asillustrated in Fig. 4.

ALEXANDER E. BLOCK.

